"Empire of Contingency: How Portugal Entered the Indo-Persian World" by Jorge Flores

"Empire of Contingency: How Portugal Entered the Indo-Persian World" by Jorge Flores

In "Empire of Contingency," Jorge Flores delves into the intricate and often perilous intelligence and communication strategies that the Portuguese empire employed to navigate the complex political landscape of late sixteenth- and seventeenth-century India. During this period, Portuguese ambitions were increasingly under threat while the Mughal empire reached the zenith of its power and influence. This book uncovers the tenuous but ingenious mechanisms of intelligence and diplomacy through which the Estado da Índia—the Portuguese administrative unit governing territories from the Cape of Good Hope to East Asia—endeavored to survive and thrive.

The focus of Flores's research is the Portuguese capital of Goa, detailing its officials' intricate relations with the Mughal empire, as well as the sultanates of Ahmadnagar and Bijapur in the Deccan region. The book demonstrates how these relations, maintained through information gathering, record-keeping, interpretation, and diplomatic correspondence, incorporated Portuguese territories into the broader Persianate cultural sphere that stretched from Iran to Southeast Asia.

Flores argues that the process of Portuguese empire-building on the fringes of the Persianate world was irregular, non-linear, and incomplete. This prolonged interaction with powerful regional forces such as the Mughals, Ahmadnagar, and Bijapur led to an incomplete assimilation of the Portuguese into Persianate India. Overturning the traditional view of European empires as dominant and omniscient, Flores reveals how Portuguese administrators were vulnerable participants within a complex network of political relationships. These relations demanded significant bureaucratic and diplomatic efforts to navigate successfully.

By showcasing how a European empire was integrated into the political practices and rituals of the Indo-Persian world, Flores challenges conventional perspectives on the Portuguese empire in Asia. He encourages readers to rethink its nature and consider the porous boundaries of the Indo-Persian world. "Empire of Contingency" offers a fresh perspective on the Portuguese empire, illustrating its survival and adaptation in a tumultuous and dynamic environment.